Singapore’s first data centre under stricter green rules is open
SG6 is designed to achieve a power usage effectiveness ratio of 1.2, better than the ceiling of 1.3 required by S'pore.
Singapore inaugurated its first data centre built under stricter green rules on November 6, 2023. The facility, named SG6, is a nine-storey structure located in Jalan Tukang and was developed by US company Equinix, which invested $290 million (S$370 million) into the project. SG6, the sixth Equinix data centre in Singapore, initially houses around 1,550 server cabinets and has a capacity of 20 megawatts once fully constructed.
SG6 was among four data centre projects chosen by the authorities after a three-year moratorium on new developments was lifted in 2022. The selected projects were evaluated based on sustainability, strategic contribution, and economic value, not just speed or scale. SG6 is designed to achieve a power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratio of 1.2, surpassing the 1.3 ceiling set by the Government's Data Centre Call for Application exercise.
PUE measures the energy efficiency of a data centre, with a value closer to 1 indicating higher efficiency.
To minimize energy consumption, Equinix optimized cooling systems, selected efficient chillers, and fine-tuned pumps. The facility operates at 27°C, compared to the typical 25°C, thereby reducing the energy required for cooling. Additionally, SG6 employs liquid cooling, which efficiently removes heat from powerful computer chips, further enhancing energy efficiency.
Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How, who presided over the opening, emphasized that the facility's efficiency allows for more digital activities despite Singapore's limited land, electricity, and water resources. He highlighted that Singapore's ambition is not merely to maximize computing power but to derive maximum value from it.
The data centre supports AI, high-performance computing, and other data-intensive tasks. Equinix currently has AI customers at SG6, though specific names were not disclosed due to business confidentiality.
Tan also mentioned that SG6 is part of a broader digital infrastructure system unfolding across Southeast Asia. The centre will provide a secure and highly connected infrastructure for workloads that benefit from Singapore's presence. Moreover, SG6 will house a research and testing facility developed in collaboration with the National University of Singapore's Energy Solutions Hub.
The facility, set to open in 2027, will enable researchers and companies to experiment with technologies within a working data centre environment.
The projects, intended as pilots lasting up to a year, will focus on areas such as liquid cooling, digital twins, and battery energy storage. Digital twins, virtual models of physical equipment and systems, can help operators assess the potential performance impacts of various cooling or operating changes before implementing them in the actual facility.
Battery storage research will investigate how stored electricity can support data centre operations. Tan stressed that while regulations establish baseline standards, innovation should elevate the ceiling, and successful solutions can be replicated across Singapore and the region.
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